Heritage
These words have introduced into the world designations of materials and technologies that have become traditional in watchmaking. There are quite a few of them, so we will focus only on some of the less common ones.
Fauxtina. Genuine patina is not always available on the market, but artificial patination of modern models helps to convincingly imitate the vintage effect of a watch.
Hype Watch. A model of an accessory that instantly becomes a style icon, with a waiting list growing not by days but by hours. Although sometimes such leadership is based not so much on technical excellence as on media exposure.
Petite Sonnerie, or Sonnerie. An English striking system known for its two-tone mechanism that reproduces chimes every quarter of an hour.
The Silicon Revolution. This term is associated with the emergence in the watchmaking world of concepts such as anti-magnetism, COSC certification, accuracy categories, and others.
Roskopf Watch. Affordable wrist or mechanical watches that do not “boast” complex complications. For example, a Roskopf Watch lacks a center wheel, and pallet jewels are replaced with hardened steel pins.
Slang Nuances of the Watch Market
Meet representatives of professional jargon to better understand what is being discussed:
Holy Trinity. An informal name for the three most expensive and prestigious Swiss brands — Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin.
In-house. A designation for watch movements. In-house refers to manufacture calibers fully produced by the brand and serving as a marker of its technological individuality.
Beater. Watches considered a daily standard, a symbol of functionality. They can be scratched or overloaded — no problem.
Grail Watch. Everyone has their own — the pinnacle of watch dreams. And it is not necessarily the most expensive or rare model. A Grail Watch can easily be an accessory carrying special meaning for its owner.
Full Set. On the secondary market for premium Swiss watches, this means “complete set.” That is, the offer includes all necessary components: bracelet, branded box, full documentation, and manuals.
Head Only. In the slang of the pre-owned or gray market, this refers to an offer where only the case with the movement is sold, without a bracelet or strap.
AD (Authorized Dealer). A modern sales system on both the primary and secondary markets in the watch industry. It is valued primarily because the AD bears personal responsibility for the authenticity of luxury watches and can confirm their originality.
Watch slang is, in fact, a kind of lexical bridge between the history of watchmaking and today’s trends. Each linguistic device sounds vivid, with a distinct rhythm. It opens the door to the engineering world of modern horological masterpieces, which, like intricate antique lace or ultramodern designer style, captivate and attract.
Do not hesitate to master this language — it will become your guide and assistant in the world of watchmaking art.
